WWW Wednesday is hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words! All you have to do is answers the following three questions:
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
Currently Reading
I am only a few chapters into The Night Watchman, but I am very much vibing with the writing, as I knew I would! I appreciate that the main character is inspired by Louise Erdrich’s grandfather and that the book itself already feels very personal. I don’t always read the Pulitzer Prize winners, but this one definitely caught my attention.
I am listening to Dracula on audiobook and having so much fun with it! I have been wanting to read this book for years, but never thought I would make it a priority. I read Certain Dark Things last week and it really got me into a vampire book, so I figured now is the time! I love that it is told through journals, and I am already creeped out only a few chapters in.
Just Finished
I think that She Who Became the Sun is a book that I will appreciate more and more as time goes on. I absolutely loved the first 25% and the last 25% but struggled a bit in the middle. I think the time jumps left me feeling disjointed and it felt like a lot happened off page. I also think that not knowing much about the founding of The Ming Dynasty put me at a disadvantage. That said, I appreciated the conversations around gender and the search for greatness and power. I can definitely under the comparisons to Mulan and The Song of Achilles. I will be reading the sequel because I am intrigued and did really like Shelley Parker-Chan’s writing.
Starting Next
The Only Good Indians is one of the books that made me realize that I do love horror and I have been meaning to read more from Stephen Graham Jones ever since. I was so happy that I was able to grab a copy of his latest, My Heart is Chainsaw. All I know is that it is a homage to slasher films and I cannot wait to read it!
What are you currently reading?
I’ve heard mixed things about She Who Became the Sun. Your opinion is shared by a lot of people!
I’ve seen mixed things too! I still think it’s worth reading because it’s brilliant in a lot of ways, I just found the middlr section confusing and a lot of info was thrown at me. I think it is a duology, so I will definitely pick up the next one!
I’ve heard great things about my heart is a chainsaw! Hope you love it
I’ve heard great things too. Really excited about it!
We would love to read Dracula eventually.
It’s so much more accessible than I was expecting. I’m really into it!
I’m relly intersted to see what I will think of She Who Became the Sun!
Enjoy your reading!
There really is a lot to love about it, despite my mixed feelings!
I think reading Dracula via audiobook is probably the best way to read it. I found it so dry and hard to get through when I read it a few years ago… but I’m starring at it on my shelf now and I’m like hmm should I re-read this?! 😅
The audio is fantastic. I think I am going to read all my classics this way now!
If either of you are into podcasts, I highly recommend CraftLit! It’s a former English teacher playing chapters (usually taken from Librivox or specially recorded) and talking about the writing, the author, and historical context before and after. It makes the classics really fun and accessible, and Heather (the host) is just a genuinely nice, smart person.
That’s probably the best way to do it!
That is a wild cover and title for My Heart is a Chainsaw! I think I might be too chicken to try it.
Oh, I loved Dracula! Even knowing the big mystery (because Dracula is *everywhere* in pop culture), it’s just a fun ride. And Mina Harker is one of my favorite female characters of all time. Seriously, what would those sweet, dumb boys do without her and her good sense? 😂
it’s good to hear your thoughts on She Who Became the Sun. I’m pretty sure I have to read it next year for school, and I’ve heard such mixed things about it I don’t know if I’m excited or not.
I’m currently reading I Was Anastasia, by Ariel Lawton, and it’s amazing!!
I honestly think it’s a perfect book to read for school! I wish I had read it with someone because it’s a book I think I would have appreciated more if I were able to talk about it with someone as I was reading it!
I have had I Was Anastasia on my TBR for such a long time. I need to get to it!
That’s really good to hear!! I’m pretty excited to read it in school, and i hope i don’t have to do too many boring activities: 9th grade literature can only be so interesting 😂
And I Was Anastasia is really incredible: i read a bunch more of it today, and it’s an amazing book!
❤
I’ll be reading She Who Became the Sun soon. I heard only rave reviews if ARCs but now a lot of mixed things, curious where I fall. Here’s mine for this week: https://susanlynknits.com/2021/10/13/www-wednesday-october-13-2021/
I can’t wait to see what you think!